


I Know When You're Around ('Cause I Know the Sound of Your Heart)

by Verbrennung



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Daisho and Mika are adorable, F/M, It works trust me, Loyalty Cards, M/M, Meet-Cute, Oikawa and Daisho are salty!barista BFFs, Oikawa plays volleyball but Iwaizumi doesn't, Oikawa will never not love Kamen Rider and various other embarrassing nerdy Japanese shit, Sawamura Daichi is a good person and an even better matchmaker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 15:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12062028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verbrennung/pseuds/Verbrennung
Summary: Sawamura Daichi, perfect son-in-law #1 and regular at the coffee shop Oikawa works at, decides one day to leave his full loyalty card (and it's subsequent free reward) behind the counter to help out a friend who is having a terrible day. They say kindness can change the world - Oikawa doesn't quite know about that, but Sawamura's single gesture might have just set him on the path to true love, because Iwaizumi Hajime is everything he wants, and maybe everything he needs.It's not a smooth journey, though. There are bumps along the way - like terrible latte art, or Oikawa's distinct lack of chill. At least he has Daisho's snark to guide him along. Sort of.





	I Know When You're Around ('Cause I Know the Sound of Your Heart)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amiome](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amiome/gifts).



> for my no. 1 cheerleader and all-round amazing person and friend, who wanted a coffee shop AU meet-cute extravaganza, with side Daisho/Mika. i hope this was worth the wait and that you like it! sorry it turned into a bit of a monster (with minimal touchy action lmao) 
> 
> beta'd by myself, which means there's probably a ton of inconsistencies, typos and grammatical mistakes :')

When asked (usually by doe-eyed girls) why he gives up some of his incredibly precious free time to work at one of the coffee shops near campus when he already has various other commitments, Oikawa likes to give a vast array of responses. These include but are not limited to: “I like to keep busy!” (followed by a flirty wink); “I really like coffee!” (a flutter of his eyelashes); “a college student has to learn to support himself!” (a blinding smile) and various others. These or any variation he delivers always have the same result: the girls titter and blush and then go to collect their sweet iced coffees or fruit smoothie blends at the end of the counter, satisfied in having gotten to speak a few words with Oikawa-san.

 

The truth of the matter is that if he’s not in class or playing volleyball, Oikawa’s favourite thing to do is absolutely nothing - or more specifically, bingeing conspiracy documentaries or episodes of Kamen Rider on his laptop. He also doesn’t particularly care for coffee nor the way the smell seems to cling to every fiber of his being. There’s also the fact he’s here on a full sports scholarship and gets a fair allowance from his parents on top of that. These three facts therefore render all of those previous motivations for working there little white lies. Besides the fleeting fancy of becoming a barista in a cool coffee shop and getting to wear an apron and learning latte art (a fantasy which wore off pretty fast), Oikawa works at the coffee shop because his co-workers have become the first friends he’s had outside of volleyball for a really long time and if he quit now he wouldn’t have a regular excuse to hang out with them.

 

Mostly though, it’s to scam on the cute boys that come in either to get their caffeine fix to go before classes, or to sit in with a drink and make use of the free wi-fi and a/c to study.

 

The girls that come in to talk to him and (usually innocently) watch him from their tables are really just an inevitable part of his life at this point. For as long as he can remember there has been girls lingering at his classroom windows, or at the gym doors or in the stands for volleyball practices and games. Oikawa doesn’t mind them being here too, so long as they actually buy drinks and are nice to each other and other customers. Generally girls are cute and sweet and he likes to make them feel good, so being extra charming when they come to the shop is no problem. Most of the time they just want to watch him and giggle among themselves anyway, which is surprisingly easy to zone out after a while. Means he can concentrate on boys.

 

The shop is small enough that there’s usually only two people working front of house, with a manager pretending to do work in the back office who only emerges when there’s a disaster or a particularly difficult customer demanding their presence. Today Oikawa is working with his usual shift partner, Daisho Suguru. Apparently they’re put together most often because no one else wants to work with either with them. Oikawa thinks that’s hurtful - he at least, is mostly a good person. Dai-chan is a little more dubious. Still, Oikawa likes him, and he’s his best friend at work by far. They get along well, and pass the time discussing celebrity scandals, things Daisho can do for and with his girlfriend so he doesn’t get dumped again, and the various regulars that come into the shop.

 

“Number one son-in-law incoming,” Daisho announces under his breath from behind Oikawa, where he’s wiping down a machine in the current lull. It snaps Oikawa out of his daze and sends his gaze moving towards the entrance where sure enough, Sawamura Daichi is pushing the door of the coffee shop open. He’s the same age as Daisho and Oikawa, but has this aura of maturity and dependable-ness - and is also currently captain of the University Judo team, just in case he didn’t have enough going for him already. He rates high on both Oikawa’s and Daisho’s ranking of regular male customers - because apparently Daisho has an opinion on _everything_ , even boys he isn’t remotely interested in - because of his mature friendliness, handsome-in-a-wholesome-way face and amazing ‘I-can-toss-you-over-my-shoulder-easily’ Judo bod. Daisho rates him higher than Oikawa does, but that’s because the former has dubious morals and is willing to forgive Sawamura’s rather troubling penchant for regularly wearing crocs in everyday life. Occasionally in the evenings around the gyms Oikawa will spy him in his judo gear and honestly, that is a _much_ better look on him.

 

“Hello Captain,” Oikawa chirps in greeting, already inputting the man’s order on the till because Sawamura Daichi is nothing if not a creature of habit - Daisho is already at work making his drink as if to testify the fact, oddly proactive for once because of his weird little man-crush on the guy. Probably because Sawamura is the opposite of him in nearly every way. Daisho is small and almost frail-looking where Sawamura is broad and sturdy, not to mention approachable and genial where Daisho is a lot more cynical and well… a little bitchy.

 

In fact, Sawamura’s a little too nice for Oikawa, which is a shame because otherwise Daichi would be his type. He likes stocky boys, more on the regular end of handsome than anything breathtaking. Flashy guys are usually too high-maintenance and Oikawa Tooru doesn’t take too well to the thought of being upstaged - even if it is basically impossible for him.

 

“That’s a little weird coming from you, Oikawa,” Sawamura says in lieu of his own greeting, putting down the phone he’d apparently been texting on and pulling out the exact change for his order from his pocket, prepared in advance as usual.

 

Oikawa lets his eyes widen a little in faux-confusion at the statement. “What do you mean?” he prods, practically preening already in anticipation as he rings him up.

 

“You know why.” There’s a pause where Oikawa doesn’t budge and Sawamura rolls his eyes. “...Because you’re also a captain. Of the volleyball team.”

 

 _A-ha!_ “Oh, that,” Oikawa says with a grin, pressing a hand to his chest and lifting his nose into the air proudly. He can feel Daisho rolling his eyes behind him, hears it when he mutters ‘oh for fuck’s sake’ at him under his breath as he reaches to grab a lid for Sawamura’s coffee, but even that doesn’t have him dialling down the shiny happiness radiating from him. It’s the first semester of his final year at university and Oikawa has finally made it to the revered Captaincy he’d set his sights on as soon as he got scouted in his final year of high school. They’re a great team and it’s a testament to his skill and dedication to be named captain - or so his predecessor had said at the end of last year (of course he was inclined to agree). Like all of his goals it had only been a matter of time before he got there, but the novelty is still new enough that he likes to hear people acknowledge it whenever he can get them to. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your own achievements, after all!

 

“Well, what can I say,” he gushes in false modesty, shrugging his shoulders cutely as he takes the loyalty card Sawamura offers him and stamps the last empty square with vigour, “real recognize real, Captain-kun! By the way your card is full now, so you can claim your free coffee and pastry next time!” he declares, placing it back on the counter next to the takeaway cup Daisho has just set down. Sawamura places two fingers atop the card as if to reclaim it, but then he hesitates.

 

“Actually, I was wondering if I could leave it at the register for my friend to claim today.” He waves the phone in his hand before sliding it into the pocket of his shorts. “From the sounds of things he’s having a crappy morning and he apparently left his wallet at home, but I’ve gotta to run and see the coach before our class so I won’t see him until then.”

 

Oikawa’s never had anyone relinquish their free _‘coffee and a treat!’_ to anyone, nevermind someone who wasn’t even there at the time. He slides his gaze over to Daisho who just gives him a look and a shrug that say he really doesn’t care, which he returns. It’s not like either of them are the good kind of employee that protects the terms and conditions of the loyalty scheme. In fact, beyond the ‘stamp the card and when it’s full they get free stuff’, neither of them even _know_ the terms and conditions. “I don’t see why not,” Oikawa responds eventually, watching as a pleased smile spreads over Sawamura’s face. He slides the loyalty card back to Tooru’s side of the counter and then picks up his coffee, tilting it towards Daisho in a silent thanks before turning to leave.

 

“Oh-” Sawamura says just as he makes it to the door, turning to look back at the two behind the counter. “His name’s Iwaizumi. From his texts I think you’ll probably be able to tell who he is right away, though.” A grin and then he’s gone, dashing across the street to the campus’ south entrance, presumably for his meeting with the scary-looking Judo coach.

 

There’s a moment of quiet, and then-- “Who the _hell_ gives away their free coffee to someone else?” Daisho asks in bemused disgust, leaning on the counter besides Oikawa, stabbing the card with a single finger as if he can’t fathom such an act of kindness.

 

Oikawa, not for the first time, finds himself relating to his coworker on a deeper level. “I have no idea,” he says with a hum. The free coffee is the result of investment of not only money, but also time and dedication. Not once had Oikawa ever remembered or kept hold of any loyalty card long enough to reap the reward at the end of it. The prize was something to be coveted. Especially when it came with one of their praise-worthy pastries, also on the house. “A better person than us, I guess.”

 

“Thoughtful _and_ amazing legs,” Daisho sneers, stealing a chocolate coin from the pot beside the register with a sleight of hand Oikawa wouldn’t even notice if he didn’t know the other’s methods so well by now. “Guys like him are the reason my girlfriend expects me to be a decent person.”

  
  


Oikawa has read a fair few shoujo manga series in his time, the product of spending a lot of time around both his older sister and the string of ‘haha I’m not gay!’ girlfriends he had in high school. So with this expertise, he knows that the entrance of the main character’s (that’s him, _obviously_ ) love interest is a momentous occasion heralded by mysterious sparkles, a doki-doki heartbeat and a freeze frame of the guy when he enters the room. Sadly, since Oikawa accepted the fact he’s very much only into boys and decided to search for his own love story at university (with due care because he has no illusions about the kind of people involved in college sports), this moment hasn’t happened to him yet. That’s not to say he hasn’t met a few guys, had a few hookups that got less clumsy over time and maybe even a couple of ill-fated ‘relationships’, because he has. But Oikawa Tooru is a romantic and he’s always holding out for that one _moment_ \- you know, the one where you take one look at a person and think ‘oh, it’s _you._ You’re the one’.

 

Twenty minutes after Sawamura leaves his loyalty card with Oikawa, Iwaizumi Hajime shoves his way into the coffee shop doors with a face like thunder.

 

Needless to say, The Moment doesn’t happen.

 

Mostly because the pre-class rush has just ended, which means that without a queue of antsy customers to serve Oikawa is free to read the issue of _Popteen_ magazine a girl had left behind on one of the tables. He’s reading a feature on the best skin care routine for your skin type, chin resting in his hand, when someone steps up to the counter with an air of impatience Oikawa can practically _feel_. He lets his brown eyes drift up from the garish pink and white pages of the magazine to the customer, taking in the intense frown which seems to touch all his features.

 

“My friend says you can do contactless payment here,” he eventually says when Oikawa just stares at him wordlessly for a few seconds, lifting up his phone with the pay app open.

 

Oikawa blinks. “Uh, no, we don’t have that.”

 

The guy’s face darkens even more, and he presses his lips together as if he’s trying to bite back a yell. Or a threat. He’s wearing a baggy Adidas track jacket zipped all the way to the top, and he tucks his chin down so his mouth is obscured by the collar as he mutters something. Seems like he’s having a pretty bad day-- “Oh!” Oikawa says, slapping the counter and frightening anyone in a three meter radius - namely Daisho behind him who jerks and swears, and the grumpy customer.

 

“You’re that guy! Sawamura’s friend - Iwa… something, right? What was it, Dai-chan?” he asks, turning to his friend for help. Daisho’s leaning against the espresso machine with a lollipop in his mouth, and Oikawa balks for a moment wondering if Daisho was denied candy as a kid or something considering his current obsession with it.

 

Daisho pulls the lollipop out of his mouth to speak, waving it through the air boredly as he supplies, “Iwaizumi.”

 

“ _Iwaizumi_!” Oikawa repeats with a victorious click of his fingers, turning back to said man and grinning.

 

Iwaizumi for all his part, looks less than amused. His dark, expressive eyebrows have pulled even lower in his intense frown.

 

“I like your eyebrows,” Oikawa blurts, because sometimes in the face of boys he loses his brain to mouth filter. It’s a little different than him purposefully saying things to piss people off (another talent he has) and a lot more embarrassing. “They’re all angry and cute.”

 

Daisho guffaws, from the sounds of it choking on his lollipop for a second behind Oikawa. Iwaizumi just stares, adjusting the straps of the backpack on his shoulders impatiently. “What the hell is going on.” It’s less of a question and more of a demand, and heat floods Oikawa’s cheeks. Daisho has apparently recovered his coughing fit becaue he mutters a ‘wouldn’t we all like to know’ before he starts pretending to wipe down a counter close by.

 

“Um, Sawamura actually set up something much better for you,” Oikawa reveals, trying his best at a dignified recovery. He plucks the card from where he’d tucked it into the corner of the register’s screen and shows it to Iwaizumi. “He earned his free coffee and pastry this morning and he asked to leave it for you to redeem.”

 

Iwaizumi’s eyebrows jump up in surprise, flint gaze zeroing in on the gaudy little card held in Oikawa’s hand, his own fingerings tightening around his bag straps.

 

“He said you seemed to be having a bad day?” the barista tries tentatively, not sure if Iwaizumi is going to explode or start crying by the conflicted look on his face.

 

Eventually he does neither, just shakes his head and mutters ‘son of a bitch’ under his breath. Half of his face is still hidden behind the collar of his jacket but Oikawa swears he can see the other boy’s cheeks go pink in a mix of surprise or embarrassment or maybe both. Oh - he’s embarrassed by his friend’s thoughtful gesture. That’s really cute. There’s a flutter in Oikawa’s stomach and he smiles, placing the card down. “So what can I get you?”

 

Flint eyes flicker from Oikawa’s hand, to his face, to the board above the counter.

 

After a second’s hesitation that has Oikawa hanging, he finally speaks up. “Um, I usually just go to the convenience store, or sometimes Starbucks,” he says, fiddling with his backpack still. Now, Oikawa might not be the biggest fan of coffee, but he’s still a barista and he knows that what Iwaizumi just said is close to sacrilege. And very, very sad. “Honestly I just need something that’s going to keep me alive through my morning classes.” He checks his sports watch, and- “the first of which I’m already late for, great.”

 

Oikawa squares his shoulders, standing up straight. This is the moment he’s been waiting for ever since he started working here, the moment where he can impress a fairly cute boy with his supreme knowledge of roasts and blends. He picks up a large to-go cup and scribbles Iwaizumi’s name and little something extra on the side, opening his mouth to begin a very informed-sounding spiel on the different roasts and blends they offer--

 

“Coming right up,” Daisho supplies before Oikawa can even speak, already flipping the cloth he’d been pretending to use over his shoulder and then grabbing the cup from Oikawa’s hands. Oikawa whips his head round to look at Daisho, but his co-worker doesn’t even seem to realize what he’s done as he checks the level of light roast beans in one of the machines.

 

Tooru isn’t sure if he can stomach this betrayal, cursing his snake of a friend. After all the times he’d given him advice on how to be a good boyfriend! Oikawa doesn’t even _care_ about Daisho’s relationship drama! (Except he totally does).

 

“You get a pastry too,” he tells Iwaizumi, still feeling somewhat forlorn but realising this could truly be his time to shine. Daisho makes the coffee and Oikawa makes nice with the customers and plates up the snacks, making _him_ the current authority on the coffee shop’s baked goods. He takes a couple of steps to the side so he’s behind the cabinet, trying not to feel too eager when Iwaizumi follows him along on the other side, looking through the glass with another tiny frown. “The milk bread is really good!” Oikawa blurts, in a hurry to get his recommendations out before _someone_ can ruin it. The line on Iwaizumi’s brow deepens and Oikawa takes it he isn’t a fan. “The cinnamon rolls are popular too-- but hm. Iwa-chan seems like he’s not that into sweets… The apple lattice looks boring but it’s actually pretty nice! And a great snack for breakfast!”

 

“...Alright,” Iwaizumi says with a minute nod, pulling his collar back down, “I’ll take that one.” Where he’d previously been stooping a little to survey the contents of the cabinet, he stands up straight now - just a little shorter than Oikawa - and meets his eyes over the counter. “And don’t call me that.”

 

Truthfully, Oikawa hadn’t even realized he’d done it - giving cutesy nicknames to people has been a habit of his since school. Now that he thinks about it, ‘Iwa-chan’ is a perfect name for the cute, grumpy guy standing in front of him, so he pouts as he bags up the pastry, handing it over when he’s back to standing behind the register. “But it’s cute!”

 

Iwaizumi’s free coffee is also done by now, and Daisho hands the cup over to him without a word, instead sending Oikawa a surveying look.

 

“Well, um, thanks,” Iwaizumi says, just the perfect amount of awkward to make him completely endearing to Oikawa. He gives the cup a bemused look when he spots the scribbled doodle of himself beneath his name (a rather crude drawing of a frowning face with pointy black eyebrows, but Oikawa hadn’t had a lot of time) before turning to head towards the door.

 

“I hope your day gets better, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa calls with the urgency of a dying man just before the door shuts behind Iwaizumi, and after said man has turned around to send him a puzzled look through the window before crossing the street, he all but crumples in embarrassment behind the counter, immediately replaying the entire scenario over in his head, lingering on that last cringe-worthy farewell.

 

Daisho saunters up beside Tooru, looking down his pointed nose at him. “Wow,” he says, a smirk coming over his features as Oikawa looks up at him for mercy. “I can’t believe of all the boys you interact with on a daily basis that _that’s_ your type. ‘I like your eyebrows’. You’re such an embarrassment, Tooru.”

  
  


The next day has Tooru feeling peppy, the result of pleasant daydreams of his latest love interest Iwa-chan and a good volleyball practice that morning. He only works a few short shifts a week and even then he works around his class and volleyball schedule - he does the morning/pre-lunch shift at the coffee shop usually, before his classes. Daisho is a night person like him and he’ll only wake up in the morning with a monetary incentive - he too prefers to choose afternoon or evening classes - so he’s here most mornings, too. His customer service is pretty shit but he’s good at making coffee, making him invaluable in their busiest period.

 

They’re working their way through a steady queue ahead of second period, discussing a dating scandal that had blown up on Twitter the night before to keep them sane as they bang out order after order. Oikawa’s bagging up a breakfast muffin when Daisho stops halfway through an acerbic remark to stare past Oikawa towards the door. A smirk curls at his lips and Oikawa’s heart does a jolt, handing over the bag and thanking the customer sunnily. Before they’ve even turned away brown eyes slide to the door, catching Sawamura first who gives his customary wave before spotting a figure next to him: similar dark hair, similar height, similar build. Severe-looking eyebrows. Oikawa’s smile turns into an all-out beam without his brain’s permission.

 

“Don’t lose your brain function just yet, Tooru,” Daisho simpers at his shoulder, poking him in the back and jolting him back into the moment, where there’s an unimpressed girl at the front of the small queue standing between him and true love. He shrugs Daisho’s presence away, apologising to customer without really meaning it (something he finds himself doing often) and putting all his effort into serving the next few drowsy college students as quickly as possible.

 

It isn’t long before he’s sending the last faceless customer along to the end of the counter to wait for their drink, Daisho only a little frazzled by the volume of orders he suddenly has to handle thanks to Oikawa’s unusual processing speed, and Sawamura and Iwaizumi step up to the register.

 

“Mornin’ Oikawa,” Sawamura greets affably, which Oikawa returns gladly. His gaze turns to Iwaizumi, who looks a little uncomfortable, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his oversized hoodie and keeping his eyes trained on the little basket of impulse-buy snacks on the counter Daisho likes to steal from.

 

“Morning Iwa-chan,” Oikawa prompts, dipping to try and catch the other’s eye even as Sawamura laughs at the nickname, apparently the first time he’s encountered it. “Are you in a better mood today?” The boy just rolls his eyes, meeting his gaze for a second as he offers a reluctant ‘good morning’ before they move to the boards above them.

 

Sawamura’s elbow presses into his friend’s side and he grins the way he does when he’s dealing with someone he thinks is childish (Oikawa and Daisho are on the receiving end of it enough to know). “Oh, his day seemed to improve after he got his free coffee, right Iwaizumi?”

 

Iwaizumi glances back down at Oikawa’s smile, raising his brows. “It would be a lot better if the two of you stayed out of my face,” he says flatly, before pulling out his wallet. “Anyway. We’ll have his usual and… A latte, I guess.” He slaps down a bill, and immediately Sawamura launches into a protest, which Iwaizumi puts a succinct end to by raising his hand in the air and giving the other a flat look. “I’m repaying the favour, shut up and take it.”

 

Oikawa watches Sawamura shrug helplessly, grinning to himself at Iwaizumi’s reluctant chivalry as he takes the cash and rings them up. A boy with good manners, just another thing to add to the list of Iwaizumi’s endearing qualities. He picks out two cups, writing the code for Sawamura’s order on the side before scrawling _Judo Captain-kun!_ in obnoxious letters below it, settling it on the edge of Daisho’s station before doing the same for Iwaizumi, his cup proclaiming an incredibly large _“IWA-CHAN”_ that would capture the attention of anyone even glancing in the cup’s direction. It doesn’t escape Iwaizumi, who blanches at the sight of it as it’s handed over to a now un-occupied Daisho, before he sighs.

 

“I thought you might have been sick today, Captain-kun,” Oikawa says, leaning against the counter to settle into a conversation now that there are no other customers waiting. “You have a class first period on Wednesdays, don’t you? You didn’t come in at your usual time.”

 

Sawamura smiles like he has a secret. “Yeah, we just got done.” So they had the same class, second time in a week. It sends Oikawa’s analytical mind whirring. Same major is likely, then. ...What was Sawamura’s major again? He’d told Oikawa before but that knowledge hadn’t become important until just then, now that it’s directly relevant to his (hopefully) soon-to-blossom love life. With that kind of information he could start to plan his and Iwaizumi’s life together - he’d always had an active imagination, his elementary school report card had thoroughly praised him for it. He’d probably be relying solely on it to enjoy their romance, since Iwaizumi is likely straight. Judging from his style, he seems like he’s really into sneakers and midnight brand drops and that sort of thing. “We just got landed with our term paper questions, though. Since Iwaizumi is now apparently interested in learning the error of his ways regarding coffee I figured we’d kill two birds with one stone and go over it together here.”

 

Oikawa’s trying to tamp down his delight when Daisho decides to re-enter the scene with the two coffees, putting them down with an unimpressed look. “Don’t bother asking me to put these into nice cups for you, because I won’t. Tell us ahead of time if you’re gonna sit in.”

 

Sawamura rolls his eyes, used to Daisho’s (lack of) manner by now, no longer offended by it like he had been at first. He spots Iwaizumi’s cup and laughs as he picks up his own.

 

“These ones are just fine,” he says, sending a conspiratory look Oikawa’s way, who had been staring at Iwaizumi until he felt the other man’s attention on him. “Plus, I _am_ breaking my routine. I usually work in the library, but he got banned for a fairly spectacular meltdown last year.” Iwaizumi flushes at being outed and a warm feeling blooms in Oikawa’s chest at the rosy pink spilling over tanned cheeks. Seems like he blushes a lot. So cute.

 

“Don’t talk about unnecessary things” is Iwa-chan’s gruff response, picking his cup and turning around to find a seat. “...Thanks, Oikawa.” Sawamura merely rolls his eyes and follows his friend as he heads towards a free table at the window.

 

“Wow,” Daisho turns so he’s perching on the edge of the counter and crosses his arms, “ _I’m_ the one that actually made the coffee. You just pressed a few buttons on the register and stared at him a lot. Where’s my thank you?”

 

Oikawa is far too busy watching Iwaizumi from across the room to care about whatever Daisho is complaining about. The boy had remembered his name. _Thanked him_ , even. Tooru is so in love.

 

“I am _this_ close to doing something spiteful to embarrass you,” Daisho warns, unhappy at being ignored, and that finally gets Oikawa’s attention, making him gape at his friend in pre-emptive betrayal. “But I won’t, because you’re about the only co-worker I can tolerate -” and then under his breath, he adds a “somehow”.

 

It’s impossible not to be sweetened by that, and Oikawa reaches to grab Daisho’s arm, hugging it to his chest. “Aw, Dai-chan loves me!” he coos excitedly, which turns into a scuffle between them which definitely ends up causing a bit of a scene. Oikawa’s still pouting at the fact Daisho scratched him in the tussle even after his co-worker has begrudgingly applied a Disney Princess band aid to his arm and given him a lollipop from his secret stash. The pocket of Daisho’s apron holds many secrets.

 

* * *

 

At some point over the next couple of weeks, it becomes apparent that Iwaizumi is now a semi-regular customer. He joins Sawamura in grabbing a coffee to take to their lectures a couple of times, getting over his slight shyness and being just as blunt with Oikawa as he is with his classmate. Tooru thinks this is a development, though Iwa-chan’s initial awkwardness was incredibly endearing. The next time he comes to the shop without Sawamura Oikawa is regretfully not working. Instead he’s at an all-day round-robin with a few other local universities ahead of a intercollegiate tournament held at the beginning of summer vacation. He’s sitting this game out in order to let an underclassman setter gain more experience, and is scrolling through instagram on his phone while pretending to take notes on the team’s gameplay. His attention remains half on the action though because he cares like that - that is, until a text comes through on his phone:

 

[From] **Snakes are people too:**

> Guess who just came in

 

Aw, Daisho missed him too! Oikawa had just been thinking about him earlier, wondering how he was getting through the morning without him. He snickers at the name he has Daisho saved under in his contact list before pressing on the banner to open up their conversation.

 

[From] **Snakes are people too:**

> And no before you ask it isn’t Watanabe Naomi

 

So maybe he and Dai-chan had each established a short list of celebrities that, should they ever come into the coffee shop by any miracle, would warrant an immediate text to the other. Naomi is easily top of Oikawa’s list, because he thinks there’d be no greater achievement than getting a selfie with her. One day he’s gonna make it happen. He sends a string of emojis that show his disappointment, giving a furtive look around himself to check no one’s watching, before he starts typing again:

 

[To] **Snakes are people too:**

> ??????????????????????????????

 

[From] **Snakes are people too:**

> Your crush ♥Iwa-chan♥

 

[To] **Snakes are people too:**

> !!!!!!!!!

> Alone?? Is he sitting in

> What’s he wearing today

> How do his eyebrows look

 

[From] **Snakes are people too:**

> Ok please stop my phone keeps buzzing and I’m hiding from Shimizu in the supply closet

> Yes and yeah he is but he looked confused when Shimizu was there and not you

 

Oikawa sends a string of eye emojis even though Daisho’s still replying to his questions.

 

[From] **Snakes are people too:**

> He’s wearing some kind of windbreaker (um why it’s summer) and light ripped jeans (ugh)

> He’s got pretty okay knees actually

> He’s got hairy legs

 

Oikawa’s eyes roll back into his head and he presses a hand to his chest and thanks whatever higher spirits are currently blessing his existence, before a blow of a whistle startles him back into the now and he checks his phone for more updates.

 

[From] **Snakes are people too:**

> Wtf do you mean how are his eyebrows? They haven’t ran off since three days ago they’re exactly the same

 

Before he can even ask a photo comes through, blurry because it’s clearly been taken from the entrance to the supply closet and has been zoomed to make up for the distance. It’s terrible quality but Oikawa can see Iwaizumi frowning down at a textbook that’s big enough to cover most of the table.

 

[To] **Snakes are people too:**

> You are a good friend, Dai-chan!! Your sour attitude is just a cover, I knew you loved me!

> Tell him I’m sorry I couldn’t be there but I am a very Responsible Person (because that’s an admirable trait and it will make me look good) with other commitments. Also tell him I miss him and that I’ll see him next time ♥♥♥

 

There’s another burst of the whistle, then the shuffle and squeaks of volleyball shoes on the varnished floor. Oikawa looks up to see his team approaching the bench, high-fiving each other as they go.

 

[To] **Snakes are people too:**

> Gotta go and do vb stuff I love you I love him I’ll see you tomorrow byeeee ♥♥♥

 

* * *

 

Iwa-chan is a very… animated studier. He’s currently frowning intensely at the screen of his laptop, occasionally scratching his head as he alternates between sitting up straight and hunching forward to be closer to the screen. Frustration emanates from him in a way that’s almost palpable, and Oikawa can see him muttering disparaging comments to either the author or himself as he reads through articles. Suddenly Oikawa can imagine Iwaizumi reaching the end of his tether and exploding in the middle of the library like Sawamura had mentioned.

 

It’s that mid-morning point where second period at the university has already started, so the pre-class rush has ended. There are a few people sitting in the cafe but not really any customers coming to the counter to be served, so Oikawa is free to loiter at the register and moon over Iwaizumi all he wants. Today the other’s outfit is a baggy t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tapered sweatpants and sneakers. His biceps are really nice, especially when he brings his arms up so he can rub at his temples--

 

Daisho comes up beside him, leaning on the counter and resting his chin in his palm. “Okay, so I know you think you’re being subtle or whatever,” he says, inspecting the nails on his other hand with catty faux-boredom, “but you’re so transparent it’s actually pitiful.”

 

“Rude, Dai-chan!”

 

A smirk curls at his co-workers lips, his eyes narrowing even more in a way that tells Oikawa that Daisho is going to continue bullying him - but then the bell above the door chimes and in walks Oikawa’s saviour.

 

Yamaka Mika is everything Oikawa likes about girls. She’s small, with shiny long hair that smells good and a cute, slightly upturned nose. Her skin is pale and she has delicate hands, one of which she throws up in a cute little wave as she heads towards them. One of the biggest charms of girls as a species is their variety, and whilst Mika isn’t the most natural-looking girl, her makeup goes just far enough to create a vibe, her fake eyelashes or her manicure never quite erring into gaudy. There’s just an aura around her that is decidedly feminine that Oikawa enjoys as much as her personality. She’s not perfect - no one is - and she doesn’t have to be. She’s already everything to the one person that matters.

 

Daisho shoots up straight, nearly tripping on air in his haste to right himself, dusky roses blooming on his pale cheeks in the blink of an eye. Oikawa allows himself a small, private smile as he watches the change in his friend.

 

“What the Hell are you doing here?” Daisho blurts, which totally shatters the mood that had been building with her arrival.

 

All three of them freeze at the flustered outburst, Dai-chan horrified and Oikawa amazed at his lack of composure. Daisho’s cute blush morphs into an mortified red at his panicked outburst. Mika, for her part, just rolls her eyes and scrunches her nose up in response.

 

“Charming,” she intones, and Oikawa wonders just how much Daisho’s attitude has actually rubbed off on his girlfriend. And then immediately after, because she’s adorable, she hesitates for a second, her gaze going off to the side as her pink and white nails tap nervously on the edge of the counter. “I have thirty minutes before my meeting with my advisor, and you said you were working today, so I thought I’d come hang out...”

 

Daisho doesn’t say anything and Oikawa despairs for his total lack of game, wondering how he managed to get such a cute girl in the first place. “Of course we’re both thrilled to see you as always, Mika-chan” he offers once it becomes evident Dai-chan needs a little more mental preparation for seeing the object of his affections. “To make up for being an idiot, Daisho can use his free drink allowance to make you something nice on the house, yeah?” He has to actually kick the other to spur him into movement, and then Daisho is nodding earnestly.

 

“Yeah,” he says, seemingly snapping out his weird little moment and smiling at Mika. Not a smirk, not a sneer, but a genuine smile. Oikawa thinks Daisho actually wears it well. “Hi. Sorry.” And then he’s reaching for her hand, pulling her forward gently and leaning over the counter himself to kiss her on the cheek sweetly. “The usual?”

 

She nods and grins, clearly ecstatic by the cute flash of teeth in her smile, tucking her hair behind her ear as Daisho turns to grab a clear cup. He reaches over to the pot beside the register which holds the markers for labelling cups, picking up the special pink Sharpie they only use for her. Tooru tries not to think about how adorable it is when Daisho writes her name in careful swooping characters, adding a small heart beneath it after a second’s hesitation.

 

“Hey Tooru-kun,” she says, finally greeting him properly when Daisho is busy. Oikawa doesn’t mind - it’s acceptable not being the center of attention for once if it’s in the name of true love. Usually he feels uncomfortable when girls call him by his given name - partly because no one ever really calls him Tooru, but mostly because he’s usually never close enough with girls to warrant that kind of familiarity (mostly due to his distinct lack of romantic interest). Mika is different though, because she is distinctly uninterested in creating some facade of being close to _Oikawa Tooru -_ for some mind-boggling reason, she only has eyes for Daisho. In fact, it’s probably something she got from Oikawa’s co-worker, since Dai-chan likes to refer to his (small) circle of friends by their given name. Daisho has called him Tooru for a while, and it felt so natural that it actually took Oikawa a while to even notice. “Suguru tells me you’re in love.”

 

Another nice thing about Mika is that despite her appearance, she isn’t judgemental and she’s not much of a gossip. She knows when to keep sensitive information to herself, and she’s not asking him because she wants to gossip, she’s asking because she’s interested in his life as a friend. He’d come out to her himself once she and Daisho got serious, so he’s not mad Dai-chan apparently talks about his love life with her. Maybe a little embarrassed when she’s talking about it in _public_ , namely where he works _and_ where his crush is currently located.

 

“Whaaat?” he asks with a nervous laugh, eyes darting over to where Iwa-chan is hunched over his laptop looking like he just chewed on an angry bee. “Where ever did he get that idea?”

 

Mika’s big brown eyes observe him for a moment before she’s turning her head to follow his unconscious gaze. “Oooh,” she allows when she finally decides who he’s looking at. “I didn’t think that would be your type, Tooru-kun.”

 

This is when Daisho apparently decides to join in, nodding at her from where he’s adding strawberry syrup to the milk and ice-cream in the blender’s flask. “Right? Tooru’s so gaudy but his tastes are actually much more plain,” he commentates, ignoring Oikawa’s pout at the same time Mika giggles at it, instead jamming on the lid to the blender and switching it on the highest setting to make sure it’s smooth in the way Mika likes it.

 

“He has a lot of charm points,” Oikawa defends, feeling a little sullen at the teasing as Daisho pours Mika’s drink into the cup, adding whipped cream and chocolate powder before gently applying the lid. Daisho can make the most delicious coffee, or embellish a latte with the most elaborate art if he’s feeling like it, but no other order will ever be granted the same amount of effort or care as his girlfriend’s. It’s the most pointless but also the most endearing gesture of affection Oikawa has ever witnessed.

 

Mika’s already cooing at how cute it looks, spinning the cup so she can see her name written on the side and immediately snapping a picture on her phone. She nods in approval at the result, before she’s visibly struck by an idea. “Wait, now you hold it, Suguru,” she orders, sliding it back over to her boyfriend and holding her phone at the ready. Daisho rolls his eyes at her - a flash of his usual acerbic personality - but holds it aloft anyway, smiling at the camera when he’s prompted so Mika can snap another picture.

 

Checking back on the photo she smiles cutely, informing them it’s her new phone wallpaper and assuring Oikawa she’s uploading it to her Twitter and Instagram when he demands to be sent a copy.

 

“Okay, if we’re done destroying my public image,” Daisho drawls, inevitably diving back into his usual state of ‘unimpressed’. “If you give me a minute I can take my break with you,” he offers his girlfriend.

 

She’s about to agree, Oikawa can tell, but then she glances back behind her and shakes her head at Daisho. “No, it’s okay,” she says, smiling when she sees both of the boys are about to insist. “Tooru-kun, you should take your break and go and save that guy from his studying.” It’s a coy suggestion, Mika sending a wink his way before turning to Daisho. “I’ll hang out here and keep Suguru company while it’s quiet.”

 

“Eh, are you sure, Mika-chan?”

 

A smile graces her lips that’s just a shade of devilish, before she’s bringing something up on her phone to show Oikawa. It’s a photo of her and Daisho at a viewing point on what seems to be a mountain, the urban landscape behind them vast and sprawling, taken with the aid of a selfie stick. “He owes you for giving him the latest date idea, so you go ahead.”

 

Daisho whips his head around to give Oikawa a look which starts off as betrayal and then quickly melts into a threat of bodily harm for ratting him out. Oikawa feels his eyes widen, shaking his head earnestly. He hadn’t breathed a word of it having been his idea, not even when Mika gushed on Twitter about her perfect date!

 

“Oh please, Suguru,” Mika remarks with another roll of her eyes. “As if you would ever suggest climbing a mountain of your own volition. You forget that I actually know who you are as a person. But you still did it anyway and it was nice, so I appreciate it. Good luck, Tooru-kun!”

  
  


Once Daisho has (grumpily) whipped him up a berry smoothie, it’s time for Oikawa to pursue true love. He unties his apron, pulling it over his head and making the two plastic _Kamen Rider_ figure charms attached to his nametag clack together. He hooks it over the door of their supply closet since he won’t be gone long, then grabs his drink and nods at Mika-chan’s encouraging thumbs up as he walks away from the counter.

 

Iwaizumi is typing when Oikawa flounces over, and does a double-take at his wide grin. He looks pretty frustrated, but Oikawa chirps anyway - “Hi Iwa-chan! Can I join you for my break?”

 

There’s a moment’s silence as Iwa-chan frowns up at him, and it’s enough for even Oikawa’s trademark confidence to waver, until the creases on Iwaizumi’s forehead smoothen out a little.

 

“Why the Hell not,” he says, half to himself and half to Oikawa. “Anything is preferable to this damn paper.”

 

Taking it for the invitation it is, Oikawa gleefully sits down, quite surprised at the thoughtful gesture when Iwa-chan immediately closes the lid of his laptop and turns his attention to Oikawa. It could of course just be that Iwaizumi is that desperate to distance himself from his schoolwork, but by now Oikawa knows that the gruff, moody-looking boy is surprisingly polite. The hesitant, almost shy ‘thanks’ from the last time he’d seen him comes back to the forefront of Oikawa’s mind, and he smiles a little around his straw as he takes a sip of his smoothie.

 

“So what major are you anyway?” Crush or not, Oikawa has never struggled with starting a conversation - he’s always been a social creature, not to mention confident (some would say obnoxious, probably). But more than that, he’s been told he possesses the determination of at least three people. It’s a side that usually only comes out in volleyball - the determination to be the best; to discover and analyse the strengths and weaknesses of not only the opposition, but his own to improve their performance; to win. But on the rare occasion that Oikawa’s interest is noticeably peaked by a person that laser focus is adjusted to finding out as much information as possible about them. He doesn’t do anything by half.

 

Iwaizumi sits back in his chair to settle his eyes on Oikawa - he folds his arms and Oikawa stares at them for a moment, distracted, as the other answers. “Business, with Sawamura. It’s pretty boring but apparently it’s going to be beneficial.” Oikawa hums, taking a long pull of his smoothie through his straw.

 

“What about you?”

 

Initially, Tooru is a little startled by having the question returned at him, but that quickly morphs into delight because Iwa-chan seems interested. “Math!” he chirps, perking up even more, and quickly sending a rueful grin Iwaizumi’s way when he seems surprised. “I know, I don’t seem the type, right?” He’s heard that enough for a lifetime, probably. Usually it’s not meant in a mean way, but still… People tend to look at Oikawa’s appearance, or his athletic career, and assume he studies something requiring a little less ‘intelligence’, though each major has its own challenges and value in his opinion. The truth is, Oikawa sat in advanced classes at high school and could have gotten into most universities without a sports scholarship if he’d needed to. “It’s hard work,” he reveals, a little more bashfully as his gaze drifts out of the window, over the grey campus buildings across the street and to the bright blue sky above. “But I love it. Numbers are straightforward, you know? It’s nice.”

 

He half expects Iwaizumi to give one of the canned responses - _oh, you don’t seem the type_ \- but there’s just a moment’s pause where he can feel the tanned boy’s eyes on the side of the face and then he hums. “I’m shit at math.”

 

And that’s that. Oikawa turns and grins, reaching forward to drum long fingers on Iwaizumi’s closed laptop. “Iwa-chan doesn’t seem to have the patience for it.” He grins. “Or anything, really?”

 

He gets a flat stare in response.

 

“I’m getting the impression that you’re a pretty annoying guy, Oikawa.”

 

Oikawa holds himself back from whining, but gives an exaggerated pout as he withdraws his hand. They lapse into silence again, Tooru wondering what he can bring up next, but it’s only half-awkward in that inevitable way when you’re talking to someone new. Surprisingly, the reserved Iwaizumi is the one to break it.

 

“...So I came in the other day and you weren’t working, and that Daisho guy said you were at a tournament?” Big brown eyes blink at Iwaizumi as Oikawa perks up, coming to attention not unlike a meerkat now that Iwaizumi is turning the conversation to his favourite topics - himself, and volleyball. “I asked Sawamura and he said you were on the volleyball team. I had no idea.”

 

This is a blessing. Oikawa cannot believe his good fortune - that he’s being given the opportunity to boast about his volleyball prowess to his crush and he wasn’t even the one to bring it up. This is it, his moment to shine. He’s so overjoyed that a delighted smirk curls at his lips and he leans forward, resting his chin on his hand.

 

“Oh?” he drawls, eyes glinting. “Iwa-chan was interested in little old me?” Immediately Iwa-chan’s brows furrow and Oikawa wants to laugh at how expected _that_ is. “Well actually, I’m the _captain_ of the volleyball team.” Iwaizumi looks a little impressed at the revelation, and Oikawa discretely fist pumps under the table with his other hand. Service ace. He remembers Daisho saying that Iwa-chan looked confused when he wasn’t around, which means maybe he should explain his schedule. Just in case Iwa-chan actually _wants_ to see him. Because, you know, maybe that’s a possibility. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking on Oikawa’s part.

 

“I actually only work a few times a week here, mostly to hang out with Dai-chan.” He flicks his eyes over to Daisho, who’s actually _smiling_ at Mika as she tells some kind of story, before focussing back on Iwa-chan. “We have early morning practice before classes start, then I take the morning/pre-lunch shift here if I’m working, then I have classes in the afternoons, then practices or conditioning in the evenings. Sometimes matches in the evening too, or on the weekends.”

 

Iwaizumi whistles, picking up his half-finished coffee that’s probably lukewarm by now and taking a sip. “That’s a lot. You’re pretty dedicated, despite how silly you seem.”

 

Oikawa lets out an affronted gasp. “I’m not a silly guy!” he argues. “Mean, Iwa-chan!”

 

And that’s about all the evidence Iwaizumi needs to back up his case, if the raised eyebrow is anything to go by. Oikawa huffs.

 

“But yeah, we’ve ramped up practices and practice games lately because there’s a summer tournament coming round soon, and I want us to be as prepared as possible so we can crush the other teams! Do you do sports, Iwa-chan?” He certainly looked athletic enough, but Oikawa thought that was a probably a little too forward to say out loud.

 

“Nah, I played baseball in high school and messed around with a couple other clubs, but now I just work out.”

 

That’s a bit of a shame, even if Oikawa is suddenly assaulted with all sorts of images in Iwa-chan in shorts, all sweaty in the gym. Clearly he’s gotta find out where he works out - or is that too creepy?

 

Suddenly, a realization hits Oikawa. It’s really nice to finally have a conversation with Iwaizumi. Before this, maybe Oikawa had jumped the gun a little with his crush, based on a couple lightning-quick encounters or impressions of Iwaizumi. Actually interacting now, Oikawa realizes that Iwa-chan is actually a pretty nice person, and surprisingly social. Despite the mild awkwardness of not knowing each other, which is normal, he feels good about it. They have some kind of chemistry; a sort of connection that he doesn’t think he’s ever really felt before. If nothing else, Oikawa definitely wants to be Iwaizumi’s friend; feels like he can and will be. And even more curiously - while Oikawa’s instinct is to showboat and be as flamboyant as possible, Iwa-chan actually makes him feel a little nervous. A little shy. He wonders what that means for this crush, and what it could become. Iwaizumi excites him, but also makes him feel like he doesn’t have to puff himself and perform. It’s almost a contradiction, but it feels comfortable to Oikawa.

 

“You said you work here to hang out with that guy, right?” Iwaizumi asks, jerking his chin over to the counter. “Seems like a weird friendship.”

 

That catches Oikawa’s attention enough that he doesn’t even appreciate the fact Iwaizumi has re-initiated conversation of his own volition for the second time.

 

“Eh, what do you mean?”

 

Iwaizumi shrugs a little. “I guess it just seems like you wouldn’t gel, maybe? Like, he’s kind of grumpy and you’re like… Noisy.” He looks like he wants to say something else, and Oikawa laughs because he gets exactly what Iwaizumi is trying to get to on his personality. He’s heard a lot worse, and strangely he doesn’t think Iwaizumi is being an asshole, just… blunt. Oikawa likes it, actually. He can’t help but tease though.

 

“Iwa-chan, are you being mean?” All he gets in response is an eyeroll so Oikawa just crinkles his nose in mirth as he reaches for his smoothie. “I guess it is, a little,” he allows, fiddling with his straw. “Dai-chan isn’t that good with people, and I can be a lot -” Iwa-chan snorts at that and Oikawa pouts in response. “I guess a lot of the people I know don’t like Daisho much because his attitude seems kinda stinky--”

 

“‘Stinky’?” Iwa-chan butts in incredulously. “Are you five?”

 

Oikawa lifts his nose imperiously in the air and continues as if Iwa-chan had never interjected so rudely. “But we’re actually kinda similar.” He doesn’t specify why to Iwaizumi, because it’s not wise to tell your crush how you bonded with someone by being a relatively terrible person (at least in some aspects). “It was weird at first, but we kept getting put on the same shifts and my charm usually wins out eventually.” He winks suggestively, and Iwaizumi watches him flatly before taking another drink from his mug, ignoring it completely. Oikawa’s shoulders deflate.

 

“Anyway, Dai-chan isn’t a _total_ asshole. He definitely has some awful qualities, but he’s also pretty caring - he just doesn’t like to show it. Underneath that nasty, sarcastic exterior is a really cute, soft-hearted little snake~” Oikawa allows himself to turn his head so he’s watching his two friends hanging at the counter, engaged in a quiet conversation and trading soft smiles - gives one of his own at the sight. “That cute girl at the counter is his girlfriend, Mika-chan. Somehow he managed to get her to go out with him before I started working here, but because he’s a loser she dumped him. We became friends when I helped him win her back. Sometimes I still give him dating advice, and now they’re the most adorable couple ever.”

 

So maybe Oikawa is a bit of a romantic, and maybe he gets a little excited at the prospect of a nice, loving relationship. He’s proud of Daisho and happy for him, and maybe just a little jealous at what he has.

 

The other side of the table is quiet and it lures Oikawa out of his daze; when he turns back to Iwaizumi the other is watching him. His expression doesn’t really give anything away, so Oikawa can’t figure out what he’s thinking at all. He doesn’t get much of a chance to, anyway, because the other ducks his head after a second, reaching for the textbook next to him for no apparent reason at all.

 

Oikawa smiles and wraps his lips around his straw, happy to spend the rest of his break hanging at Iwa-chan’s table without talking..

 

* * *

 

Weeks pass as the semester drags on. Preparations for the upcoming tournament continue and keep Oikawa busy - what little free time he has between classes, his few shifts at the coffee shop and practices are spent scouting for information on the other teams and perfecting his serves and tosses even more. It’s tough, but it’s what he loves.

 

There’s also the extra ray of light that is Iwa-chan. He continues to show up at the coffee shop on a semi-regular basis, not always when Oikawa’s working, either alone or with Sawamura. He settles on a usual order - a simple latte, because he’s not that interested in delving into the world of coffee, but that’s fine. They’ve gotten Iwa-chan off conbini coffee at the very least. After the next few brief encounters they share, Oikawa and Iwaizumi seem to settle around each other, feeling a little more comfortable, and that’s where their trademark dynamic develops.

 

People around them tend to be really amused at their interactions, which usually devolves to bickering. Iwa-chan’s bluntness comes to the fore, and apparently he is just as sarcastic as Daisho. Both of these traits usually come out at Oikawa’s expense, which in turn makes him even more whiny and precocious. It’s fun to interact with Iwa-chan, not unlike how he is with Dai-chan, but.. _More._ Getting teased by Dai-chan doesn’t give him butterflies. Oikawa can’t help but grin when Iwaizumi walks in, looking forward to their silly exchanges.

 

One day Iwa-chan comes in looking as harassed as he had that first, fateful meeting and Oikawa coos internally, right up until Iwa-chan slams a bill down on the counter and stares at Oikawa in a determined challenge. “Shut up,” he says as soon as Tooru opens his mouth, and the imperative order has him immediately obeying, strangely enough. “I need a coffee as big as your ego, and I need it now.”

 

It’s demanded with such serious that Oikawa can only gape at him in shock, only jerked out of his stupor and into indignance when Daisho snorts out a laugh, informing Iwaizumi that they don’t have a cup size that big. An amused smirk curls at Iwaizumi’s mouth at that retort despite his apparently foul mood, and Oikawa just stares between them.

 

“This is awful!!” he says finally, with the utmost offence, whilst still obediently grabbing the largest cup they offer, writing the usual IWA-CHAN on in a flurry, handing it off to Daisho. “Iwa-chan, you’re supposed to be _my_ friend. And you and Dai-chan are only supposed to just barely tolerate each other out of devotion to your friendships with _me_ , not unite to bully me so unfairly! My feelings are hurt!” He snatches the cash off the counter with a huff, moodily ringing him up.

 

As he takes back his change, Iwa-chan just rolls his eyes. “Trash doesn’t have feelings,” he retorts, but even in his bad mood the words carry no real heat, as per usual. “Plus, I already told you to shut up.” And then he takes his coffee and hurries out of the shop.

 

It all works out though, because even when Iwaizumi is mean to him, Oikawa can whine and complain the next time he comes in. After that incident, he manages to guilt Iwa-chan enough that he can needle his phone number out of him, and things kind of spiral out of control from there. When Oikawa is bored, or just in the mood, he’ll text Iwa-chan. Usually it’s nothing of real substance. Sometimes it’s an update on his day, or a random thought, or just inane comments. Sometimes it’s pictures of things he comes across, like a new gift from an admirer or a cute dog he pets in the street or a _Kamen Rider_ figure he sees in a hobby store that he _really, really_ wants to buy. Half of the time Iwa-chan doesn’t even bother to reply. Usually Oikawa would hate his messages being left on ‘read’, but weirdly enough it just seems to fit Iwa-chan’s personality - and he can’t be mad at the other when he _likes_ him so much. The other half of the time Iwa-chan will offer comments or agree that a dog is a good boy, or - well, sometimes Iwa-chan just tells him to fuck off. Especially if it’s in the middle of the night, as it often is. In those cases it always comes with a grumpy but firm order to ‘get some damn sleep’.

 

So somewhere along the line, Oikawa and Iwaizumi become genuine friends, like Tooru had suspected they might. It’s comfortable. It’s _fun._ It becomes familiar. Even though Oikawa’s crush doesn’t go away - if anything, it only grows - he finds himself able to truly relax around Iwaizumi. Even if he wants more, he’s still satisfied in this friendship. It feels important. Which is strange, because as social and flamboyant Oikawa is, he doesn’t tend to make friends very easily. He has a lot of acquaintances, a whole wide range of different people from different places and parts of his life, but real friends are hard to come by. Becoming friends with Daisho had been an accident more or less, entirely natural in it’s development - the fact that Oikawa keeps his totally unnecessary job just to hang out with him probably speaks volumes for the amount of close friends Oikawa has. Iwaizumi happened much the same way, despite the crush. After all, there are plenty of regulars to the coffee shop that coincide with Oikawa’s shift there. People like Sawamura, who have been customers for way longer than Iwaizumi, who have stayed more or less acquaintances the whole time, never quite broaching into the ‘friend’ category. Iwaizumi has without a doubt made it there, and in less than half the time. He fits into Oikawa’s life easily, as if there was always a place waiting for him. He’s the perfect foil for Oikawa’s personality.

 

It stays like that, in stasis for a few more weeks. And that’s fine - Oikawa loves their friendship, clearly. But the crush doesn’t go away. In fact, it gets to the point where the word ‘crush’ doesn’t cover it any more. He and Iwaizumi don’t hang out outside of the coffee shop, but Iwaizumi spends longer in there now, letting Oikawa join him on his break or hanging out at the counter while Oikawa works to keep the conversation going. They text a lot, update each other on their lives and bicker through messages when they can’t do it face to face. It’s good. But Oikawa wants more.

 

After Iwaizumi completes his term paper, handing it in a full week before the deadline despite his frustration throughout the task, he gets another assignment near the end of the semester for another class - a presentation that’s going to make up twenty percent of his final grade. He has a lot of work to do apparently, and they’re quiet enough in the shop that Oikawa sends him over to his usual table to get started right away, promising to bring his coffee over to him when it’s ready.

 

He has a plan.

 

Antsy - that’s how he feels as he watches Daisho prepare the latte, hovering at his shoulder.

 

“Alright,” Daisho says eventually, with a put-upon sigh. “Why are you stalking me? What do you want?”

 

Oikawa blinks, immediately feeling a little bashful under Daisho’s flat stare. He can’t back out now. “I was wondering… If I could do the presentation on this one?”

 

And okay, so that’s really transparent. Oikawa offering to do anything concerning preparing coffee is rare, since he’s not that great and Daisho gets a little snappy because of his control freak tendencies. Daisho isn’t stupid, and he knows this is Iwaizumi’s coffee, so it clicks quickly enough. “Oh _wow_ ,” he says, raising his hands and backing off a couple steps. “This is going to be amazing. Go ahead.”

 

Oikawa glares, but picks up the little stick thingy you’re supposed to use to make the pictures in the coffee. Latte art. It’s not Oikawa’s forte, but he’ll do anything for the sake of love. He hunches over the cup on the back counter, his whole visage radiating intense concentration and effort until he’s stepping back, putting his hands on his hips and surveying his work.

 

It looks terrible.

 

It’s obvious enough, even without Daisho coming forward to check it out and more or less laughing right in Oikawa’s face.

 

He’d had vivid daydreams of illustrating the cutest heart in Iwaizumi’s coffee and then delivering it to his table with a shy smile. Iwa-chan would look at the coffee, take it for the adorable confession it is, and then smile up at Oikawa. He’d ask him out, and Oikawa would accept, and then they’d embark on the sweetest romance the world had ever seen.

 

“That’s pathetic,” Daisho says, another unnecessary blow to Oikawa’s ego. Oikawa frowns and places the cup carefully on a tray. So what if it’s not the best piece of latte art? It’s the effort, the gesture, that counts. Iwa-chan will still be flattered.

 

He takes it over, and sets the cup down beside Iwaizumi’s laptop with a smile, clutching the tray close to his chest as he waits for a reaction.

 

Iwaizumi looks at Oikawa, confused at his hovering, and then down to the coffee.

 

And then to Oikawa again.

 

And back down to the coffee.

 

“...That’s the worst fucking leaf I’ve ever seen,” he remarks finally.

 

Burning heat erupts into Oikawa’s cheeks. Disappointment crashes over him like a tsunami and it’s all he can do it press his lips together hard and spin on his heel, heading back over to the counter without a word. Daisho looks about ready to rib him some more, but whatever he sees in Oikawa’s expression makes the smirk drop from his face. “Tooru…” Oikawa shakes his head and takes a long bathroom break.

 

* * *

 

It doesn’t take long for Oikawa to bounce back - he’s fairly resilient, and once the semester ends, he has volleyball to focus on. His love life seems pretty inconsequential when he has to lead his university team into the tough competition for the first time - there are a lot of great teams in Tokyo, so they’re fighting from the first game. Oikawa uses up his vacation allowance by taking time off work for a last-minute training camp and the competition itself, and whilst it’s a relief, it’s also kind of a shame considering most of his social life actually centers around the coffee shop these days. He insists that both Daisho and Iwa-chan come to his games to make up for it (though he doesn’t bother suggesting they come together).

 

Surprisingly enough, since they became actual friends, Daisho has attended almost all of his important games. Even if he likes to only comment on mistakes Oikawa and his team have made afterwards, Oikawa knows he attends for support and he appreciates it. He becomes accustomed to catching glances of him leaning against the railing, calmly assessing the court below, recently with an excited Mika beside him. It’s comforting. And here, at the first game of the tournament as Oikawa twists the ball in his hands a few long paces behind the back line, spotting them beside their university’s noisy cheer section helps him to relax.

 

Iwa-chan being there, though, is an entirely new beast. Oikawa knows he’s here, because he’d sent a picture of the outside of gymnasium before the match as proof (Tooru had demanded evidence) and offered a simple ‘good luck’ text. Oikawa doesn’t waste time seeking him out in the crowd - he doesn’t have time to, not when the whistle sounds across the court ahead of his serve. Just knowing Iwa-chan’s eyes are focused on him, somewhere in this big, bright room, is enough.

 

Oikawa is always remarkable on the court. He’s always keen to impress, but this time, it really counts. The thought of Iwa-chan watching him helps him zone out all the unnecessary things around him, allows him to focus on the ball as he sends it flying up in the perfect toss up, has his legs pushing him forward and his body propelling up to the perfect height so that his hand can connect to the ball in an ideal slap, sending it rocketing over the net and slamming into the floor. The loud thud as it connects is a testament to strength of the serve, and then it’s flying to the back wall so fast that none of the other team can even react to it.

 

There’s a moment of silence, then the whistle blows to signal the first point gained in the match, and then the crowd erupts into noise.

 

It’s not a crushing victory - no team is easy pickings at this level  of play - but it is a comfortable win, and a good omen for the team. This is Tooru’s first official inter-school tournament as captain, and while it’s only really a warm-up before the All Japan Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship coming in winter, the results count. It’s vital to develop a reputation as a strong school, because Oikawa knows that will be their mental advantage over opponents going into the national tournament. Of course, there’s the personal stake as well. As Captain, it’s important to Oikawa’s pride to show that he’s a good leader, to prove that the team he’s now partly responsible for shaping is a good one.

 

His spirits are high after the win, even if they have a rather tedious wait before their next match later in the afternoon. Waiting around here amongst the crowds makes him antsy, so Oikawa decides he’ll head outside in search of a vending machine, unable to rid himself of the thought of a cold Pocari despite all the supplies they’d brought with them. The A/C inside is on blast but Oikawa knows outside of the building will be all summer heat, so he leaves his trackpants shoved in a bag amongst all the teams’ things, only donning his jacket over his uniform as he leaves the gymnasium in search of a less-crowded vending machine.

 

Soon enough he’s alone, humming happily to himself as he gets rid of all his 10-yen coins to pay for his drink. The bottle is dispensed with a thud and Oikawa reaches down to grab it.

 

“There you are,” says a familiar voice behind him and Oikawa startles, glancing up at the figure that’s suddenly blocking his light.

 

It’s so unbecoming, but Oikawa can’t help the toothy grin he breaks into. “Iwa-chan!” he greets, straightening back to a stand and clutching his new purchase.

 

Iwaizumi smiles at him for a second, his eyes catching on his jacket and travelling up and down his uniform. They stick somewhere around Oikawa’s legs, and seemingly without any permission from his brain, he blurts out - “nice shorts.” Oikawa freezes in bemusement, which allows him to see the violent blush that colours Iwaizumi’s cheeks and neck.

 

“Eh?” he asks elegantly, still looking at Iwaizumi’s face before he looks down at his mostly-bare legs. Volleyball shorts are volleyball shorts, and Oikawa’s been wearing them for years, so he doesn’t see what’s particularly remarkable about them… but he supposes they do show off more skin than other sporting uniforms. Suddenly feeling more bare than he has in a while Oikawa shifts uncertainly, a blush matching Iwa-chan’s filling his cheeks too.

 

At least he doesn’t seem to be faring as badly as Iwa-chan, who’s looking determinedly off to the side, a fist over his mouth as he struggles with his random outburst. Despite Oikawa’s embarrassment it really is cute, so it’s a bit of a shame when Iwaizumi seems to recover enough to start a normal conversation.

 

“Congratulations on winning the match,” he offers at last, crossing his arms in front of himself. “You played really well, Shittykawa.”

 

Ah, the nicknames. They’d started after Oikawa had made it a regular habit to text Iwaizumi at all times of the day. He’d been outraged at the mean insults at first, but had decided to see them as endearments in the end, especially when they were used with the grumpily considerate orders of ‘go to sleep’ or ‘make sure you eat something’. Clearly Iwa-chan is awkward and bad at expressing himself like a normal human, but that’s one of the things Oikawa likes about him so much.

 

So he takes the compliment for what it is, and smiles gleefully at his Iwa-chan. “Thanks,” he can’t help the way his chest puffs up with pride at being praised, before he leans in to grin at the other. “Iwa-chan’s support give me more power than usual~”

 

He gets a tut and an eyeroll as Iwaizumi brushes the teasing off, his gaze finding Oikawa’s again. After a pause, where they just look at each other, he says - “Seriousness suits you. You were so focused, it looked like you could do anything.”

 

Oikawa is used to praise, used to compliments. He’s always been a vivacious kid, eager to get involved and athletically gifted. First it was his mother and other older women, gushing over his cute looks and his achievements, and then it was peers and girls and coaches and the occasional sports journalist. But they all said the same thing, and while it’s appreciated, it doesn’t really feel special anymore. Oikawa is the kind of person who’s never satisfied with his own performance, who always compares himself to others and always looks ahead to the next goal, the next achievement.

 

He’s never had someone give him such an earnest compliment. The words are an arrow to his heart, but instead of leaving him sore and bleeding, they fill him with energy and belief. It might have _looked_ like he could do anything before, but now he _feels_ like he can. Like anything is possible, with that kind of belief at his back.

 

Caught off-guard so brilliantly, it’s all he can do to blush and shuffle his feet, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically shy in front of this boy he likes so much. He wants to say thank you, but is scared of being too earnest, of being too transparent. Iwa-chan’s compliments mean so much more than he can express, probably. He wars with it for a moment, but Iwaizumi just smiles at him in a way that tells him it’s fine, and turns to the vending machine himself to get a drink. “When’s your next game?”

 

“Not for a while yet,” Oikawa tells him. And even though he really wants him to-- “You don’t have to stick around for it. I’m just happy Iwa-chan even came at all.”

 

There’s the snap and crack of Iwa-chan’s can opening, and he quirks the most adorable half-grin at Oikawa. “If I gave you the power to play so well, I can’t really leave now, can I?” It’s a rhetorical question, which is just as well, because Oikawa can only stare as Iwaizumi turns and heads back towards the gymnasium.

 

* * *

 

They get knocked out a couple days later, in the semi-finals.

 

It’s disappointing, but it’s alright. Well-- it’s _not_ , because Oikawa has the nasty habit of imposing impossibly high standards upon himself, but it will be eventually. It’s not like he’s surprised by the loss - the college game is a tough one, with a high standard of play and a whole hoard of talented athletes to contend with. As he and the coach each give the team a post-game pep-talk about how they played well and how the best is yet to come, Oikawa tells himself he has time. The four months he’s had isn’t a lot of time to mould the team to his liking, and winter and the intercollegiate tournament are still far off. He’s got time. They’ll get better. _He’ll_ get better.

 

Team talk over with, the group disperses: some head to the bus to return to their campus and the dorms nearby, others who live elsewhere make their own way home, mostly heading towards the nearest station. The team’s manager and some underclassmen remain at the gymnasium to scout the final game so Oikawa can evaluate it later, but for now the captain is exhausted. The disappointment of the loss weighs heavy on his shoulders, and exhaustion from the lack of sleep the previous few nights makes itself known. Having stepped out into the summer twilight outside, Oikawa readjusts the strap of his kitbag on his shoulder and spots a figure sitting on a bench.

 

“Iwa-chan?”

 

Said boy looks up at the question, and stands so he can walk over to where Oikawa’s standing. He studies Oikawa’s face, head tilted to the side slightly, and it looks like he’s going to say something before he changes his mind, closing his mouth and glancing behind himself, in the direction of the nearest station.

 

“Want to hang out?” he asks eventually, and it’s not at all what Tooru expects. Some commiseration about losing had been most likely, but then Oikawa remembers the specific praise he’d been given on the first day of the competition, and thinks Iwaizumi wouldn’t offer something so hollow (and unwanted) right now.

 

He licks his lips. “Iwa-chan never wants to hang out with me.”

 

It’s a simple statement.

 

“That’s because you’re busy enough when classes are in session. You wanted to use me to procrastinate doing that final paper at the end of the semester.”

 

As Tooru gets to know Iwaizumi, he starts to be able to read between the lines, to understand what Iwaizumi really means but is unwilling to say out loud. Right now, he hears the unspoken ‘you need it right now’ that Iwaizumi is thinking, and finds himself surprised yet again at just how caring this gruff boy is.

 

“I would never use Iwa-chan,” he says childishly, complete with an indignant sniff.

 

He’s glad that Iwaizumi is sensitive enough, _cares_ enough, to look at Oikawa and see what he really needs.

 

At the end of a thirty minute train ride and another ten minute walk from the station, they arrive at an unassuming building. It’s kind of old-looking, but not in a gross or run-down way. It looks like any other small apartment building in Tokyo, and yet it still amazes Tooru that no two buildings in the city look the same. Oikawa follows Iwaizumi to the second floor, shuffling a little in the outside walkway as Iwaizumi pulls out a key to open the fifth door down.

 

“I can’t believe I’m going to Iwa-chan’s house,” Oikawa murmurs out loud as Iwaizumi pulls the door open and steps inside, flicking a light switch and kicking off his pristine black sneakers. Of course it’s hardly a house - Iwaizumi is a typical Japanese college student and so has typical lodgings: a tiny studio apartment with a tiny kitchen, a tiny bathroom, and a tiny balcony. “Sorry for intruding!” It’s chimed out happily as he shuts the door behind himself, dropping his bag and hunkering down to undo his laces.

 

“It smells good in here!” he calls down to Iwaizumi, who is in the main room of the apartment now, kicking what looks like discarded hoodies or sweatpants towards the wall. Oikawa lives in the male dorms aimed mostly at college athletes, which comes with a meal plan and a roommate who likes to keep their shared room clean, so Oikawa doesn’t really know what to expect of a male student living independently. The apartment doesn’t smell weird or look dirty like he might assume, but the clothes on the floor and the messed up bedsheets are as expected.

 

“What do you think I am, an animal?” Iwaizumi asks crossly, and Oikawa lifts a brow as he takes the few steps it takes to pass the kitchenette and walk through the doorway to the main room where there’s a desk, a shelf, a closet, a bed and... not much else. Iwa-chan had been kind of tense the whole journey here, and even less talkative than usual. It dawns on Oikawa after another couple moments of wondering about it to realize that Iwaizumi is nervous about having him here. But why?

 

Iwaizumi is waking his laptop from its sleep-mode, resting a palm on the surface of his desk as he leans over it.

 

“It’s hot in here,” Oikawa complains instead of responding to him, unzipping his track jacket and, after glancing around for somewhere to put it, elects to just throw it on top of Iwaizumi’s grey hoodie where it had been kicked into the corner of the room. Plopping down onto the bed, big brown eyes track over the space once more in interest, gaze snapping over to Iwaizumi when a beep sounds through the room, Iwaizumi turning on the A/C unit in light of Oikawa’s complaint. “Such a good host~” Tooru teases, grinning at Iwaizumi’s responding tut.

 

Then Iwa-chan is picking up his laptop and bringing it over to the bed with him, where he sits beside Oikawa, scooting back until he can lean back against the wall. Oikawa does the same, looking at the other curiously.

 

“What do you want to watch to cheer yourself up?” Iwaizumi asks calmly, meeting Oikawa’s gaze without hesitation or shame.

 

Tooru is still for a moment, before he reaches for the proffered laptop, searching for the Kamen Rider Gaim movie on Netflix.

 

Curiously, Iwaizumi watches his selection without judgement or criticism. He doesn’t even say anything twenty minutes into the movie when Oikawa shuffles closer and rests his head on his shoulder, long fingers clasping the fabric of his t-shirt tightly.

 

* * *

 

At the same time that nothing really changes after that, _everything_ changes. It’s weird to have someone new around that can read him so easily. Daisho is a pretty perceptive person, which means if Oikawa doesn’t really try to (or can’t) conceal a mood or emotion he can pick up on it, but somewhere along the line Iwaizumi’s flint eyes start to narrow and focus in on him and Tooru can _see_ him looking beneath big smiles and head tilts and too-loud greetings.

 

The summer continues on, the days without classes passing by quickly until there’s only a week until the new semester.

 

Usually, if Iwa-chan comes into the shop this close to lunchtime he’ll just get a coffee to go, but today when he reaches the counter he levels that searching stare at Tooru and calmly asks for a latte to sit in. It’s kind of busy but he finds a table (not his usual one and Oikawa can tell it bothers him by his grumpy face) and drinks slowly. Almost as if he’s waiting.

 

Oikawa knows what for, too, because he shift is over in fifteen minutes and whenever Iwaizumi gives him that _look_ and doesn’t immediately call him out on it with a pretend-mean comment, it means he wants to talk about it. Iwa-chan can be kind of like a nagging mom when he gets concerned, so Oikawa saves himself some trouble and joins him at the table once his shift is over.

 

His apron is gone, replaced with a thin but fluffy brown cardigan that complements his rolled-up chinos and the glasses he’s been forced to wear. The glasses, he guesses, are the main give-away that he’s not feeling too great, and Iwaizumi acknowledges them first with a frown.

 

“You’re wearing your glasses. At work.”

 

It is, after all, rare that he wears them in public - especially at work or out socialising or on campus, where he has to look his best. He’d actually come up with a believable story about them being fake and him only buying them for the aesthetic to save his reputation for the times it can’t be avoided - nerdcute is on trend and plenty of male models do it, after all! But he’d thoughtlessly sent Iwa-chan some selfies of himself wearing them in the library at the end of the semester when he was swamped with work, so the other knows the truth: that his sight sucks, especially when reading or studying, and he wears contacts every day. But he’s been exhausting himself lately, because the summer and the extra practice time is slipping away, classes looming on the horizon, starting up in just a few days. As a result of the anxiety this is bringing about, Oikawa has been staying up late studying footage of all their games, isolating problems and habits and strategies that needed to be fixed over this semester, ready for the Intercollegiate Tournament. The glasses have the double-function of giving his irritated eyes a break _and_ helping hide the ugly bags beneath them.

 

“I’m tired and stressed about volleyball and my head hurts,” Tooru says honestly, because after the silent comfort Iwaizumi had offered him after the team’s loss, Oikawa feels like he can tell Iwaizumi the truth and it won’t be abused, or ignored, or pushed aside. He doesn’t really know why he doesn’t trust people enough to be more genuine with how he’s feeling - or maybe it’s _himself_ he doesn’t trust - but either way, it doesn’t matter. The point is that it’s different with Iwaizumi. He _does_ trust Iwaizumi, and that makes him feel safe in a way he hadn’t really known he’d needed.

 

There’s something else that’s bothering him though, something he doesn’t say, and that’s the recurring need he has to not be alone. He doesn’t mention it, but Iwaizumi seems to recognise it anyway, because all he says is a simple ‘alright’ before dragging him out of the coffeeshop.

 

On the way to his apartment, they stop by the convenience store and Iwaizumi buys him a strawberry milk without even having to be asked to.

 

This time Oikawa doesn’t hesitate to shuffle close and rest his head on Iwaizumi’s shoulder while the other boy is still browsing netflix.

 

By the time the opening credits appear onscreen, Oikawa is asleep, cuddling Iwa-chan's arm.

  
  
  


When Oikawa opens his eyes the apartment is a lot dimmer with only Iwaizumi’s desk lamp giving any light, which means he must have been asleep for a while. Iwaizumi has apparently swapped the laptop that was previously resting on his thighs with Oikawa’s head, though it’s a wonder Oikawa can tell that much since everything in front of his eyes is fuzzy and he’s still a little disorientated from the heavy-duty nap he’d apparently slipped right into.

 

Iwaizumi’s face is a blur (but still a nice one), though the light from his phone as he scrolls through something on screen means Oikawa can at least kind of see it.

 

“I’m blind,” he complains, and it sounds even more petulant than he’d meant it to be because he’s sluggish and a little moody from his instant deep-dive into sleep. Iwa-chan doesn’t bother looking away from whatever is on is screen, only reaches to the side to pick up Oikawa’s folded glasses and rudely drop them on his face.

 

A whine leaves Tooru’s throat but he’s otherwise too groggy to make a spectacle of protesting the abuse, so he just rubs his eyes and slips the plastic frames on. There’s a short adjustment period before he can see properly again, and he just squints up at Iwa-chan’s face until the image becomes clear.

 

It should be weird, lying with his head in Iwaizumi’s lap when they’ve never really shared that much physical contact, but it’s what Oikawa has been craving for the longest time, so.

 

It also dawns on him that he could have only ended up in this position if Iwaizumi had put him there, since it’s definitely not where he started and Oikawa isn’t so brazen even in sleep to pull a move like this himself. _Therefore_ , Iwa-chan initiated this very thoughtful gesture.

 

Oikawa is kind of in love with him.

 

Iwa-chan isn’t saying anything and Oikawa is still waking up whilst also going through some emotional revelation and yeah, a bit of adoration, so he just looks up at the other boy quietly for a while.

 

Eventually, Iwa-chan can’t ignore the staring any longer and drops his phone on the bed, tilting his chin down to return Tooru’s stare.

 

“What do you want?” he asks eventually with his classic frown. There’s something cagey about him - Tooru recognises it as the restless kind of embarrassment Iwa-chan exhibits when he’s done something nice and has been called out on it. He probably thinks that’s what Oikawa’s doing by staring at him, but honestly, Oikawa just likes to look at him.

 

“I like your eyebrows.” It’s not a blurted out thought like it had been the first time. This time, Oikawa’s voice is soft. and he can’t help but let a small, happy smile play out on his lips.

 

Iwaizumi’s frown intensifies and Oikawa’s smile ticks up at the deepened furrow of the other boys brow. Oikawa can see Iwaizumi take in his smile and the other boy stills, before his expression smoothens out.

 

Oikawa’s heart flutters in his chest.

 

Iwaizumi drops his hand to rest there nonchalantly, and Oikawa wonders if he can actually _feel_ the thudding of his heartbeat.

 

“I like pretty much everything about you,” Iwaizumi says casually, as if those words aren’t going to make Tooru’s brain and heart stop functioning altogether for a terrifying second. For Oikawa, the world narrows down to Iwaizumi and nothing else. “Even if you say really weird stuff. And are a ridiculous person altogether.”

 

A electric current zings its way up Oikawa’s lanky frame, from the tips of his toes to the curled ends of his hair. It heats his whole body, bringing with it a vibrant red flush that covers most of his pale skin.

 

“What the hell?!” he bleats, sitting up so quick his forehead catches Iwaizumi’s chin, making the other boy curse, and it actually kind of hurts but Tooru has bigger fish to fry, scrambling into an inelegant crouch beside Iwaizumi’s hip as he stares into the other’s face with wide, brown eyes, probably too close for comfort.

 

This cannot be happening.

 

This is unbelievable.

 

Okay, so Oikawa has always claimed to be endearing, and charming, and loveable, and to some degree he’s always believed that to be kind of true. Like - his family spoil him, his team chose him to be captain, Dai-chan basically refuses to work with anyone other than him most of the time, Mika always texts back and forth with him, and Sawamura and a bunch of the other regulars at the coffeeshop greet him with a smile and engage in friendly conversation. He knows some people find him gaudy, and annoying, or frustrating, but there _are_ a few people around who like him.

 

But Iwaizumi-- Iwaizumi Hajime, business major; _Iwa-chan_ likes _pretty much everything about him,_ even after getting to know him more than most people ever do.

 

No one has ever said that they like pretty much everything about him (because _everything_ is a little unrealistic when you're talking about Oikawa, even he knows that), or ever given any kind of indication of that being so.

No one’s ever teased him or called him names just for fun with no ill intent behind it, or told him he looked like he could do anything, or glanced at him and known that he didn’t feel good and exactly what he needed to feel better.

 

All of the moments they’ve had together, all of Iwaizumi’s shy politeness and genuine concern and earnest encouragements flash in front of Oikawa’s mind like an equation, and just like math, there’s only one correct answer to be derived from all those elements.

 

Iwaizumi doesn’t just like pretty much everything about him. Iwaizumi _likes_ him.

 

A second after Oikawa realises it, Iwaizumi _sees_ that he has, and his cheeks explode into vivid crimson and his eyes dart away like they always do when he’s mildly horrified at himself.

 

An ecstatic smile blooms onto Tooru’s lips.

 

“You like me,” he says quietly, and he doesn’t mean it to be a tease, but his hands are on his knees and his shoulders are hunched over as he leans further into Iwaizumi’s personal space, and his voice echoes his delight so that's definitely how it seems.

 

“You like _pretty much everything_ about me,” Oikawa crows, and okay, now he really is completely taunting Iwaizumi because the other’s expression makes it far too tempting to resist. “Oh my god-” is his next outburst, and he lets out a short burst of laughter almost at the same time, because he's just realised something hilarious. He pokes Iwaizumi’s burning cheek with a long finger. “You like my volleyball shorts!”

 

Iwaizumi snaps his head around to glare at him viciously, and Oikawa laughs even more.

 

“Iwa-chan is a _pervert!_ ”

 

That’s apparently the last straw, because Iwa-chan lets out a snarl and shoves at Oikawa, making him collapse back onto the mattress even as he chortles away, because oh god, Iwa-chan is such a little nerd.

 

“Quit it!” he yells crossly, grabbing one of Oikawa’s ankles to stop him from kicking out in hilarity. “Shut up!”

 

Oikawa can’t stop laughing, because Iwa-chan is dumb and a nerd and adorable and he’s just _so happy._

 

The protests stop though, and when he registers the silence, Oikawa calms down enough to stop and look at the other. Iwaizumi looks mortified - and it’s not just because his secret has been revealed, but it also has a gravity to it… Like he thinks that maybe he’s ruined everything - and Oikawa belatedly realises he hasn’t actually said anything to reassure him.

 

Honestly, his feelings have been so absolutely crystal clear to everyone that _isn’t_ Iwa-chan that Oikawa forgot Iwa-chan is actually kind of dense. It's possible that Iwa-chan has no idea that Oikawa is maybe kind of probably totally in love with him.

 

“Iwa-chan,” he murmurs. Slowly sitting up, he reaches to wrap his hand around Iwaizumi’s wrist. The other is determinedly not looking at him, but it's okay. It’s not a big deal. Oikawa can fix this.

 

“I drew a heart in your latte.”

 

Iwaizumi makes an aborted move to turn to him, freezes, and then finally turns to meet his gaze.

 

Oikawa licks his lips.

 

“That time, before the tournament started, and I brought your drink to your table-” Iwaizumi’s frown melts into recognition, then he’s cutting Oikawa off:

 

“That shitty leaf??”

 

Wide shoulders hunch in on themselves as Oikawa is momentarily transported back to Iwaizumi’s unknowing rejection, but then he nods. It hardly matters anymore, now that it's clearly his terrible artistry had resulted in what might as well be the miscommunication of the century. “It was actually a heart, I’m just really crappy at anything vaguely artistic, and--”

 

This time Iwaizumi cuts him off not with words, but with a rough hand on his jaw and a soft kiss to his lips.

 

Oikawa has never been kissed so suddenly - there’s always been a certain amount of flirting or at least a charged lean-in beforehand - and he has to admit it’s not as romantic or pleasurable as it looks in the movies. If anything, it’s kind of awkward and really gets the angle wrong, and there’s some bumping of teeth, but when they both take a second to pull away and reorient themselves, it gets better.

 

Much, much better.

 

Iwa-chan is a really nice kisser. His lips are thin (and usually frowning) but they’re real soft and clearly Iwa-chan has a lot of experience in kissing because he knows exactly what to do, how far to lean in and how to move and all that other good stuff. Oikawa is breathless by the time Iwa-chan shifts, gently forcing Oikawa back until he’s back to lying on top of Iwa-chan’s rumpled sheets.

 

“I can’t believe you,” Iwa-chan says, stroking Oikawa’s cheekbone with his thumb as he looks down at him. “A heart in my coffee? That would be a lame move even if you _could_ do it properly. You’re such a nerd. Next time just confess properly, Shittykawa.”

 

Indignation paints itself pink over Oikawa’s cheeks and he frowns up at Iwa-chan, twisting one of his own long legs to awkwardly kick Iwa-chan in the butt as punishment. “It is a cute and romantic move,” he argues. “Don’t be mean.”

 

Iwa-chan’s hand slips under Oikawa’s t-shirt, trailing up his stomach before coming back down, his index and middle finger just slightly catching on the waistband of his trousers, a fleeting gesture that’s just suggestive enough. There’s a devilish smirk playing at Iwaizumi’s lips that Oikawa is entirely entranced by because wow… he’d been so busy thinking about how adorable Iwa-chan is all this time that he’d never considered just how much he’d suit _this_ , too. There’s a swooping in Oikawa’s stomach that his brain agrees with entirely.

 

“I already told you that I like most things about you. Being a nerd is one of them.”

 

That should be a little insulting, but it actually just makes him feel really nice.

 

And… his shirt is rucked up, the boy of his dreams has just kissed the breath from him and is looking down at him like _that_ , and it's all really great - but Oikawa’s ego is _insatiable_.

 

“What else do you like about me?” he asks coyly, his toes wriggling against Iwaizumi’s soft navy sheets as his hand wraps around Iwaizumi’s wrist, slides up his arm. “Other than my volleyball shorts and how charming I am, I mean.”

 

He gets a look that seems to say ‘are you serious?!’ but then Iwa-chan just rolls his eyes, planting his other hand on Oikawa’s other side so he’s more balanced as he hovers over him, looking down.

 

“I like the Kamen Rider keychains you have attached to your work apron,” he reveals eventually, and Oikawa quirks a smile at that. “I like the stupid, annoying nicknames you give people. And how you look in your glasses," he plucks the frames off of Oikawa's nose and sets them aside, since they're probably going to really start getting in the way soon. "I like how you befriended the sourest co-worker you have, and how many people’s names and orders you remember.” Iwaizumi sends a considering look his way, and after a pause he adds, “I like how different you are on the volleyball court. Kinda scary; intense and determined. It’s kind of hot.”

 

Oikawa laughs at that, feeling warm bubbles in his stomach as he half-turns to hide his face.

 

Strangely enough, Tooru feels so full and happy, as if he might have finally reached his quota for compliments - at least for today. So he plants a large hand on each of Iwaizumi’s cheeks, and smiles up at him.

 

“I like _everything_ about Iwa-chan.”

 

* * *

 

He’s still floating on cloud nine a few days later, on his first shift since Iwa-chan admitted he had (inevitably) given in to his charm and (more or less) fallen for him. The cruel passage of time has brought them to the dreaded first day of the fall semester, and Dai-chan is clearly feeling the back-to-school depression because he’s been in a foul mood the whole morning so far, but even that can’t bring Oikawa down.

 

He greets every customer extra-vivaciously and hums happy little tunes as he plates or bags up morning pastries. Daisho keeps sending him thoughtful looks, as if he’s trying to figure out why Oikawa isn’t lamenting the loss of summer vacation like he normally would be, but as with most of Daisho’s expressions, it mostly just looks like the stink-eye, and Oikawa doesn’t need that kind of negativity in his life, so he just ignores him.

 

Twenty minutes before second period is due to start the door chimes, and in walks Iwaizumi in all his glory.

 

It’s still hot in September in Tokyo, so today Iwa-chan is wearing an oversized black t-shirt, his favourite pair of black sneakers and grey shorts. Oikawa wonders if it’s because he’d admitted he likes Iwa-chan’s legs when the other boy had demanded Oikawa name at least a couple of specifix things he liked about him, since he had stroked Oikawa’s ego so much.

  


“Morning, Iwa-chan!” he greets loudly, internally cooing at the fact Iwa-chan wears a backpack with two straps. He knows it’s like, cool these days and probably the most practical or whatever, but something about it makes Iwa-chan look like a little schoolboy and that’s adorable.

 

“Morning.” It’s a totally normal response, and Iwa-chan’s gaze swings up to the board - as if he’s going to order something other than his usual, or maybe as if he hasn’t seen Oikawa naked. More than once, in the last few days.

 

Oikawa can’t help his grin.

 

“I’ll have the usual,” Iwa-chan says, and his gaze sinks back down to Oikawa, distracting the barista for a second before he punches in the order on the register, taking Iwaizumi’s cash. Iwaizumi prefers morning classes, and Oikawa knows he has one second period today (has already memorised his full schedule), so he grabs a to-go cup. Tooru reaches towards the pen pot, hand hovering for a second before he makes a decision, pulling off the lid and scrawling the usual IWA-CHAN on the side in obnoxious letters, before handing it off to Daisho.

 

The machine behind Oikawa hisses to life, letting him know Daisho has started working on the drink, when Iwaizumi pulls something out of his wallet. “Before I forget,” he begins, handing Oikawa what he can now see is a full-up loyalty card. “Sawamura should be here in a few, so keep that aside for him, yeah?”

 

Truth be told, it’s been so long since Iwa-chan filled up the card that Oikawa had actually forgotten about it. There’d been a while where he’d wondered about what the other was waiting for (because a _free coffee and a treat!_ was nothing to ignore), but now, it’s just so Iwa-chan to wait for the new semester and repay his friend with the exact same gesture. Oikawa smiles and shakes his head at the characteristic determination of the boy in front of him, before tucking it in the corner of his screen, exactly where he’d kept Sawamura’s months before.

 

“Got a lot to thank him for, after all,” is all Iwa-chan says in explanation, nodding at Daisho when he’s handed his coffee.

 

That’s romantic in a casual, understated way that is just _so Iwa-chan_ too, and Oikawa is blushing when Iwaizumi leaves with a ‘catch you later’ and a wave over his shoulder.

 

Daisho is standing next to Oikawa at the counter, and watches Iwaizumi leave without a word, before actually _gasping_ a few seconds later.

 

“You just used the pink pen!” he nearly yells, turning on Oikawa with an accusatory point of his finger.

 

Tooru pulls at his bottom eyelid with his finger and sticks his tongue out.

 

“Sorry Dai-chan, I can’t give you dating advice anymore. I’ve got to keep all the ideas for myself!”

 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!!!! :D
> 
> yell at/cry with me about haikyuu/iwaoi, send me hatemail, become my friend, make requests  
> either via comment or my [tumblr](http://ikiteiruka.tumblr.com/) ;')


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